Wig and wiglet carrying case

ABSTRACT

The disclosure describes a plastic carrying case for wigs and wiglets molded in a single mold in its entirety into a hinged device comprising a base container upon which two integrally hinged open-faced hollow covers fold into each other and interlock with the walls of the base to form a closed carrying case. The closure means and the handle or carrying means are molded integral therewith. Similarly the rigid standard for supporting a removable wig block is also molded integral therewith.

Schumer [451 Feb. 6, 1973 [54] WIG AND WIGLET CARRYING CASE 3,029,855 4/1962 Telford ..220 31 s ux Inventor: Louis Schumer, 5402 Beverly Road 3,256,892 6/1966 Espos1to,.lr. ..220/31 S Brooklyn Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair [22] Filed: July 13, 1971 Assistant ExaminerSteven E. Lipman H pp NO: 162,051 Attorney-Edith R. T. Gl'lll et a1.

7 [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl ..206/8, 220/31 S The disclosure describes a plastic carrying case for [51] III. C.- and wiglets molded in a Single mold in its entirety [58] held of Search 16 31 into a hinged device comprising a base container upon 220/94'A 312/199 which two integrally hinged open-faced hollow covers fold into each other and interlock with the walls of the [56] Reierences C'ted base to form a closed carrying case. The closure UNITED STATES PATENTS means and the handleor carryingmeans are molded integral therewith. Similarly the rigid standard for sup- 2,652,060 9/1953 Shio ..206/41 B X porting a removable wig block is also molded integral 3,317,076 5/1967 Enders ..220/31 S therewith 3,289,822 12/1966 Schumer et a1... ..206/8 3,580,650 5/1971 Morris ..220/31 S UX 4 Claims, 10 Drawing; Figures A? ,0 X16 1 r .2/ 5 j 2/ if I [I 20 I f /,I j

INVENTOR LOUIS SCH UMER A TTORNE Y M TM PATENTED FEB 6 I973 WIG AND WIGLET CARRYING CASE The present invention relates to a novel unitary wig or wiglet carrying case.

The increased use of wigs and wiglets by the public has spurred the development of improved and novel carrying cases, which eliminate the known deficiencies found in the prior art boxes. Likewise, the development of the plastic art has been applied to the wig and/or wiglet boxes as an economical means of manufacturing rigid, unbreakable, molded plastic wig and wiglet carrying cases. Heretofore, the molded plastic cases constituted an assembly of several parts, which had inherent disadvantages of possible loss of one or more parts; the difficulty of finding suitable replacements for said lost or misplaced parts; the lack of knowledge relating to the proper assembly of the carrying cases; the additional expense of hiring assemblers, etc. It has now been found that the instant unitary molded plastic carrying case has all its parts formed integral therewith in a single molding operation, thereby eliminating all of the aforementioned disadvantages.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a unitary, rigid wig and/or wiglet carrying case having an integral standard for supporting a removable head block.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unitary, rigid carrying case having integral closure means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a unitary, rigid carrying case having an integral carrying means.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a unitary, molded, rigid, plastic wig or wiglet carrying case comprising a base container integrally attached to a pair of converging hollow open-faced side covers, an integral rigid standard for supporting a removable head block extending upwardly from the bottom wall of said base container, said side covers being provided with coinciding integral closure means and integral matching carrying means when in a closed position. The base container comprises a pair of upstanding side walls to which the open-faced side covers are integrally attached and a pair of upstanding end walls provided with integral interengaging means at the upper edges thereof for interlocking said side covers in a closed position, said engaging means may comprise grooves for receiving the peripheral walls of said side covers. The side covers may additionally be provided with matching integral engaging means along their peripheral edges such as a slot and overlap respectively. The integral closure means is preferably situated along the peripheral edge of said side covers and may be any suitable latching device. The integral carrying means is a handle formed by matching shaped openings, preferably hand-shaped, situated on the upper portion of the side covers. I

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the wig or wiglet carrying case in open position.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through 2-2 of FIG;

FIG. 3 is a front or back elevation view of the closed wig or wiglet box.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the wig or wiglet box. FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary crosssectional view through 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through 77 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through 8-8 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through 99 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through 10-10 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the wig or wiglet carrying case or box of the present invention comprises a rigid plastic carrying case molded into a hinged device comprising a base container upon which two integrally hinged open-faced hollow side covers fold into each other and interlock with the unattached walls of the base to form a closed carrying case. The method usually or preferably employed is injection molding of plastic pellets such as polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl or the like, whereby said pellets are extruded, in a single operation into a mold of the entire instant carrying case. The base container is provided with a wig block supporting stand or standard molded integral therewith and upwardly extending from the inside of the bottom wall. The matching hollow open-faced side covers are attached at the upper rim of the side walls of the base container by means of flexible plastic strips or hinges molded integral therewith. The unattached side walls of the base container are provided with integral gates or tracks which define grooves designed to engage and interlock the peripheral walls of said side covers. The side covers are additionally provided with integral closure means, along their peripheral edge, which interengage when the carrying case is in a closed position. The side containers are further provided with integral oval shaped openings which constitutes the handle when carrying case is in a closed position.

Instant unitary rigid molded plastic carrying case for wigs or wiglets comprises essentially a base container 1, having a bottom wall 2; upstanding side walls 3, integrally attached and hinged at the upper edges 4 by means of integral flexible plastic strips 5, to a pair of matching hollow open-faced side covers 6 with their open sides facing each other; and upstanding end walls 7 provided at the upper edges 8 with grooves 12 formed by tracks 9 for receiving flanges 10 of peripheral walls ll of said side covers 6. The two side covers 6, in-

tegrally attached to base container 1 by means of flexible hinge 5, converge along their peripheral edges, interlocking with upstanding walls 7 of base container 1 to form instant carrying case. It is preferable, although not essential that one of the side covers 6 be additionally provided along its peripheral edge with an overlap 13 or other engaging means which engages a slot 14 situated on matching peripheral edge of the other side cover in order to afford a more secure fit when the side covers are closed in an abutting'relationship. Although a square shaped base container is depicted in the drawings, a rectangular or circular base container is also embraced herewith. The only requirement is that the shape be suitable and convenient for containing a wig or wiglet.

Another essential feature of this novel carrying case is the rigid standard 15 designed to support a removable wig block 16, which is integral with base container 1 and upwardly extending from the inner surface of bottom wall2.

Head forms or half head forms made of styrene, polyethylene, etc. are positioned on standard and are held in place because of a frictional fit between the opening in the aforesaid forms which coincides with standard 15. Accordingly, the shape and size of rigid standard 15 can be varied to coincide with that of the openings in the head forms. While a slightly upwardly tapered cylinder is shown in FIG. 2, a conical, rectangular, square or other suitable shape is embraced by the present invention.

Another essential feature of this novel carrying case is the integral closure means situated on the peripheral edges of side covers 6 which comprise essentially flap 17 containing a suitable opening 18 adapted to engage post 19 on matching side cover 6 when said hollow side covers are in closed position with their edges in contiguous relationship. It is obvious that the post can be round, square, rectangular, triangular, etc. with the shape of the opening coinciding accordingly. It is also feasible to have a hook and eye closure means, a poppit which frictionally fits or snaps into the opening or any other suitable latching device. Similarly the closure means may be flexible or rigid. It has been found that instant closure means securely locks the carrying case to prevent spillage or damage from outside factors. This closure means can be easily, simply and expeditiously operated manually.

Still another feature of this novel carrying case is the integral carrying means represented by handle 20 formed by open-converging side covers 6, each with matching shaped openings 21, which may be oval, square, round or a combination of shapes. The hand shaped opening which forms handle 20 is preferably situated on the upper portion of the carrying case, and may be squared off as shown in FIG. 4 or curved.

Although ribs 22 are illustrated in instant drawings, any outward design is contemplated by instant invention. Similarly, the plastic walls of instant carrying case may be clear or opaque and may be tinted any desired color to render it more attractive. It has been found that the thickness of the plastic walls of instantcarrying case is suitably about 0.1 inch in order to provide the necessary rigidity thereto. However, thinner or thicker walls are contemplated by instant invention provided the required rigidity is obtained.

Thus, it is apparent that the multiple deficiencies of the prior art wig and wiglet carrying cases have been overcome by the instant novel case which is rigid, durable, attractive, unbreakable, lightweight and inexpensively manufactured in a single mold. The instant unitary carrying case has no parts to assemble thereby avoiding loss and breakage normally associated with assembled devices. The integral closure means and the interlocking of the side covers with the base walls provide a more securely locked carrying case.

While the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments thereof as hereinbefore set forth, it is clearly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but includes various modifications and equivalents within the scope of the instant invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A unitary molded rigid plastic wig and wiglet carrying case comprising a. a base container integrally attached to a pair of converging hollow o en-faced side covers; b. said base container comprising a bottom wall, a

pair of upstanding side walls integrally attached to said side covers and a pair of upstanding unattached end walls;

integral engaging means situated within the peripheral edges of said unattached end walls of said base container;

d. coinciding integral engaging means situated within the peripheral bottom edges of said side covers for interlocking with said engaging means of said unattached end walls;

e. an integral rigid standard for supporting a removable head block upwardly extending from the bottom wall of said base container;

e. integral engaging means situated within the upstanding peripheral edges of one of said side covers,

" coinciding integral engaging means situated within the upstanding peripheral edges of the other of said side covers for interlocking with the engaging means of said one side cover,

f. coinciding integral closure means situated along the opposite peripheral edges of said side covers for locking the covers when they are in a closed position, and

g. integral matching carrying means situated on said side covers to carry said case when said side covers are in a closed position. v I

2. A carrying case in accordance with claim 1 wherein the engaging means situated within the peripheral edge of said unattached end walls of said base container comprises grooves for receiving flanges situated within the peripheral bottom edges of said side covers.

3. A carrying case in accordance with claim 1 wherein the integral closure means comprises a latching device when for latching said side covers when they are in a closed position.

4. A carrying case in accordance with claim 1 wherein said integral carrying means comprises a handle formed by matching hand-shaped openings.

=0: In a: 

1. A unitary molded rigid plastic wig and wiglet carrying case comprising a. a base container integrally attached to a pair of converging hollow open-faced side covers; b. said base container comprising a bottom wall, a pair of upstanding side walls integrally attached to said side covers and a pair of upstanding unattached end walls; c. integral engaging means situated within the peripheral edges of said unattached end walls of said base container; d. coinciding integral engaging means situated within the peripheral bottom edges of said side covers for interlocking with said engaging means of said unattached end walls; e. an integral rigid standard for supporting a removable head block upwardly extending from the bottom wall of said base container; e''. integral engaging means situated within the upstanding peripheral edges of one of said side covers, e''''. coinciding integral engaging means situated within the upstanding peripheral edges of the other of said side covers for interlocking with the engaging means of said onE side cover, f. coinciding integral closure means situated along the opposite peripheral edges of said side covers for locking the covers when they are in a closed position, and g. integral matching carrying means situated on said side covers to carry said case when said side covers are in a closed position.
 1. A unitary molded rigid plastic wig and wiglet carrying case comprising a. a base container integrally attached to a pair of converging hollow open-faced side covers; b. said base container comprising a bottom wall, a pair of upstanding side walls integrally attached to said side covers and a pair of upstanding unattached end walls; c. integral engaging means situated within the peripheral edges of said unattached end walls of said base container; d. coinciding integral engaging means situated within the peripheral bottom edges of said side covers for interlocking with said engaging means of said unattached end walls; e. an integral rigid standard for supporting a removable head block upwardly extending from the bottom wall of said base container; e''. integral engaging means situated within the upstanding peripheral edges of one of said side covers, e''''. coinciding integral engaging means situated within the upstanding peripheral edges of the other of said side covers for interlocking with the engaging means of said onE side cover, f. coinciding integral closure means situated along the opposite peripheral edges of said side covers for locking the covers when they are in a closed position, and g. integral matching carrying means situated on said side covers to carry said case when said side covers are in a closed position.
 2. A carrying case in accordance with claim 1 wherein the engaging means situated within the peripheral edge of said unattached end walls of said base container comprises grooves for receiving flanges situated within the peripheral bottom edges of said side covers.
 3. A carrying case in accordance with claim 1 wherein the integral closure means comprises a latching device when for latching said side covers when they are in a closed position. 